Artificial denture



May 11 1926.

W. DEVLIN ARTIFICIAL DENTURE Filed May 1922 May 11 1926.

W. DEVLIN ARTIFICIAL DENTURE Filed May 22 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented May 11,1926.

WILLIAM nnvnm, or cIIIoAeo, ILLINOIS.

1,584,438 PATENT OFFICE.

ARTIFICIAL DENTURE.

Application filed May 22,

This invention relates to artificial teeth and holding means therefor and is fully described in the following specification and shown. in the accompanying drawings in which:

' Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a bridge embodying the invention applied to the up- .per aw;

. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a front. detail view of this bridge removed from the jaw, showing one of. the teeth removed from the bridge;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the tooth which is removed;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 6 is a section of the line 6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a plan view ofa bridge embodying a modifie formof the invention as applied to molars and'bicuspids;

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the abutment teeth and gum "before the bridge is cemented on;

Fig. 9 is the bridge with the artificial teeth removed; and 1 a Fig. 10-is an enlarged perspective of an artificial molar removed from the bridge.

' The embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figs. 1 .to ,6 comprises a fourtooth bridge 11 anchored to natural teeth 12 and 13 and carrying artificial teeth 14 which as illustrated are substantially alike.

Each of these teeth has a recess 15 running substantially half wa or more around the body of the tooth an extending incisally and labially as shownin Fig. 5. A clasp 16 of any suitable metal or alloy, is adapted to fit closely around the tooth in this recess and carries a pin 17 which fits into a hole 18 in the tooth. This hole extends in the same general direction as the ends of the clasp 16 as shown in Fi 5, so that the tooth may be inserted in the c asp without difiiculty and when so inserted pressure upon the. cutting edge'14 of the tooth will tend to drive the tooth more solidly into the clasp.

The artificial tooth 14 is preferably made unusually long, as shown in Fig. 6, having a rootlike portion 14" adapted to extend into the gum 19, thereby giving amore natural appearance to the tooth and keeping the gum in a more natural form. In order for the tooth to be in contact thus with the gum,

1922. I seriarno. 562,663.

To form the bridge, the adjacent clasps 16 are soldered together as shown in Fig.1 and to the abutments 20 and 21 which are cemented in a well known manner to the back of the teeth 12 and 13.

It will thus be seen that the clasps 16 are so placed upon the teeth as not to interfere with the translucency of the same, as the metal of the clasp, especially in the center of the tooth, is well above the incisal. For this reason the recess 15 will be made with quite a sharp angle as shown in Fig. 5, and the edges of the recess are made quite sharp so as to form supporting shoulders adapted to transmit pressure from the tooth to the clasp.

For some small anterior teeth, particularly in the lower jaw, the pin may be omitted and the clasp made sufiiciently rigid for carrying the tooth.

Figs. 7 to 10 show a modified form of the invention as applied to bridges including molars and bicuspids. Figs. 7 and 9 show a fourtoothed bridge supported by crowns 22 and 23 which are carried by the teeth 24 and 25 respectively which are shown as ground olf to receive them.

This bridge carries a molar 26 having cusps-27 and 28 separated by deep grooves 29. In the molars I have emplo ed two pins 30 and 30 which are carrie by the clasp 31 as shown in Fig. 9. These pins are substantially parallel and fit into parallel holes 32 and 33 in the'tooth 26, these holes extend diagonally in the tooth and being so located as to avoid the groove 29, thereby avoiding unnecessarily weakening the tooth.

The recess 34 extends about the lingual and approximating surfaces of this tooth, the clasp 31 and recess 34 being formed to accurately fit each other. The points 34 of the recess are inclined upwardly so as to extend in the same general direction as the holes 32'and 33 so that the clasp with the pins rigidly held therein may be brought into engagement with the tooth so that the clasp and pins'tend to reinforce each other carrying the tooth upon the bridge or the 1 (e- The second bicuspid 35 is mounted'in substantially the same way upon the clasp 36, but has a single pin 37 The clasps 31 and 36 are then secured together and to'the crowns 22 and 23 by means of solder 38 thereby providing a rigid bridge.

These .teeth preferably extend well beneath the clasps, the tooth 26 having a lower scope of the appended claim, in which it I end 26 adapted to fit into a'depr'ession 39 into the gum 40 or otherwise in contact therewith, and is therefore made of glazed clasps will be made up in standard shapes and sizes so that teeth which become lost or brokenfrom plates or bridges may be readily replaced. While only bridges are illustrated, it .will be understood that these clasps and teeth are equally applicable to plates.

While I have shown and described but a few embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangementm'ay be made which do not depart from the spirit and is my intention to cover all novelty inherent in the invention as'broadly as possible in view of theprior art.

What I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In an artificial restoration, a porcelain facing of substantially natural size and form having a recess with walls Substantially at right angles to the floor of the recess the side walls slanting incisally fromthe rear portion and converging to a point beyond the rear vpart of the backing, an arcuate backing fitting said recess and extending flush with the exterior of saidfacing, and marginally engaging said wall, and a pin attached to said backing and extending incisally into the facing.

WILLIAM DEVLIN. 

